retroz

Hi folks having lots of electrical problems on my 2005 boxster all started a few months ago when my battery went dead managed to recharge the battery ok but then both my key fobs wouldn't work,eg open/lock doors/trunk/boot changed batteries tried reset procedure no luck.......fast forward a few weeks my front boot release switch inside the car stopped working so as usual instead of replacing it i put it off for a few weeks bad idea........last night i noticed my boot mounted brake light would not go out properly after exiting the car after a few mins it eventually did thought that was strange so planned to investigate in daylight another bad idea... ....i came out in the morning in torrential rain with the windows half open and the car totally dead.....zero electrics..........even with a powerpack

tried to open the boot to access the battery.... yup you guessed it broken key fob,broken release switch no go,i tried pulling the battery post out in the fuse box to see if i could get power onto the red post with no luck,tried connecting a charger/maintainer to the cigg lighter socket which showed 0v on the battery so i guess its fried and shorted out internally from the overnight drain..........to sum up i'm totally screwed i tried the C3 fuse jump trick but no joy prob because the battery is shorted,usual problem can't get into boot to get wheel lock nut to remove wheel to access the manual release cable lol..you gotta laugh at the ingenuity of porsche thinking lol

So my question is....how can i access the trunk manual release if i can't get the wheel of to access the wheel arch liner ? My car is RHD UK spec... is the release cable on the same side as US LHD cars ? and if so which side ? hoping someone can help as the only alternative is an angle grinder to the bonnet to get at the battery and a new bonnet crazy lol

fhp911

I'm surprised that you haven't gotten any advice from Rennlisters. People usually offer lots of advice for questions like this.

In my own experience, applying power to the post in the fuse box has always instantly let me pop open the frunk, and putting a battery tender on the cigarette lighter in the cabin fully wakes up the car after a few hours.

Good Luck!

daylorb

You can remove the wheel lock without the key - just hammer a socket onto it. May toast the socket and the wheel lock, but you'll get it off. It works - I've had to do it! I believe they also sell a kit that is universal.

I thought if you turned the wheel you could access the manual cable without taking the wheel off btw?

Zach L

Buy a new release switch ($90), install it, then try an extended charge through the fuse post or cigarette lighter.

If that doesn't work, jack up the front left side of the car and remove the wheel liner, with the wheel still bolted to the car, to access the emergency release cable. Should just take a stubby driver set and some body contortion skills.

retroz

Hi guys thx for the replies we have tried everything to no avail,charging via cig lighter,power pack onto red post in fuse box,new trunk switch,c3 fuse 12v direct power,managed to remove the wheel arch liner both pax and drivers side and low and behold the damm release cable is missing on the 987 should be in a rubber grommet in the left hand wheel well the grommet is there but the cable is missing,looked all underneath the car on axle stands can't see it anywhere

algiorda

I wonder if they re-routed the cable to behind the front Tow cover on the bumper. I don't know if you can do that or not when the cable is on the drivers side and the tow cover is on the passenger side. Who knows what prior owners did with their car..

retroz

Aye its been rerouted but heavens knows to where checked the tow eye and all around the front bumper, or knowing my luck just fallen down inside the chassis leg

daylorb

Can you get the back trunk open? I recall there is a way to jump it using connectors there, start the engine that way.

retroz

i think i remember reading the both trunks are powered from that same control unit,the switch/nor the key doesn't work for the rear trunk i did try that already but i wonder if i could apply power to the rear trunk via fuse A3 as that is listed in the cayman/987 fuse diagram as being for rear boot release

http://howtoporsche.com/cayman/987c-...mperages-list/

venom51

I'd pull the bumper cover and see if you can get to the trunk release and apply power directly at the connector or manually pop it at the mechanical latch.

retroz

I was thinking that man but stupidly with the 987 you need the trunk open to remove the bumper they've got u fu*ked every which way.... so much for German ingenuity lol its a **** poor design at least with the older 986 the cable was manual so you had a lot more options,why the f*uck would anyone in their right minds route a simple switch thru a canbus control unit....and to add insult to injury place said unit under the seat in the same location they know gets wet because of the still unresolved blocked drain issues....you think they'd have learnt something in 8 years with all the previous 986 model's problems lol

venom51

Engineers may be smart but often are not very clever.

retroz

Either way i'm snookered gonna be a costly job no matter what....... my options are...
1.have at the front bonnet with an angle grinder-cost £500 for a used bonnet
2.Have at the front bumper with an angle grinder -cost £500 for a used bumper
3.Attempt to smash the bonnet lock with a long screwdriver and hammer -cost £100 if it works and i don't damage the bonnet in the process
4.Replace the Rear control unit-cost £300 + recoding £80 plus new keys £340 and hope the control unit was indeed faulty no way to test my old one
5.Replace the Rear control unit with a used one which may allow power to get to the switch but cannot be recoded so in the long run will need to be replaced with a new one anyway as keys etc..wont work

6.Ram the car thru my local Porsche dealers front window and throw the key at them yelling ! Achtung! Scheisse Auto in my best german accent lol sure get a laugh outa this one

Looks like i'm pretty much outa soft options at this stage gonna have to bite the bullet and make a decision

retroz

lol indeed man

NuttyProfessor

If I'm not mistaken the 987 manual release cable should be routed above the front air ducts similar to the Mk2 996. There is a video on YouTube that shows the release cable if that helps. Just search "Porsche 996 emergency release cable". Good luck!